We’ve all been there: You open the fridge or freezer for a drink or snack and get hit with a terrible smell. Even if your home is clean, your fridge can still develop stale or sour odors if it’s not properly maintained. The good news? Getting rid of the smell is easy! Start by finding the source—like forgotten food or an unsealed container. Then, keep your fridge and freezer fresh with a few simple maintenance habits.
Why Your Refrigerator or Freezer Is Smelly
There are many reasons why a fridge or freezer might smell bad.
- Spoiled food: When food rots, it creates bad smells that spread in the fridge.
- Spills: Leftover food or liquid spills in the fridge can cause bacteria and bad smells.
- Mold: Mold can grow in the fridge, especially in damp spots or on food.
- Dirty fridge: If you don’t clean it regularly, your fridge can get dirty and smell bad.
- Absorbed odors: Strong-smelling foods like onions or garlic can spread their smell to other foods in the fridge.
- Faulty fridge or freezer: Sometimes, bad smells mean the fridge or freezer has a problem, like a broken seal or faulty compressor.
- Poorly sealed containers: If containers aren’t airtight, food smells can spread in the fridge or freezer.
- Faulty defrost system: If the freezer’s defrost system fails, frost can build up and create bad smells.
How to Deodorize Your Refrigerator and Freezer—and Keep Them Smelling Fresh
These five steps will help you find and remove bad smells from your fridge and freezer—and keep them from coming back.
Empty the Refrigerator and Freezer
To remove bad smells from your fridge and freezer, start by taking everything out of the shelves and drawers. This gives you a clear view of all surfaces. Once everything is on the counter, check for spoiled items and begin cleaning.
Clean the Refrigerator and Freezer
You might have heard that ingredients like vinegar, charcoal, or coffee can remove fridge odors. But for the best results, skip the shortcuts—a deep clean works best.
Start by spraying the inside of the fridge with a mix of water and vinegar or a plant-based cleaner. Then, wipe everything with a warm, damp microfiber cloth. Clean from top to bottom, including shelves, drawers, sides, and the back. If the shelves come out, washing them in the sink with mild soap and warm water may work better.
Inspect All Food
Even if your fridge and freezer are clean, don’t rush to put everything back. Check each item, including condiments and butter. Food is a major source of odors—not just spoiled items, but also strong-smelling foods like garlic, raw fish, and certain cheeses, even when stored properly.
Spoiled food smells even worse. Over time, even in the fridge, food breaks down as bacteria, yeast, and mold grow on it. These microbes not only release their own odors (like mold) but also cause the food to smell bad as it decomposes.
If food has spoiled, throw it away or compost it. Check expiration dates and replace items if needed. In the future, remove food before it goes bad and clean up right away. Don’t forget to wipe any spills—leftover mess can keep decomposing and cause bad smells.
Make a Cleaning Schedule and Check the Temperature
Cleaning your fridge and freezer can be a hassle, so don’t wait for bad smells to remind you. Instead, clean it out weekly to prevent odors. This also helps you plan meals—while tossing old food, make a grocery list for your next shopping trip.
Each week, check that your fridge is set to 40°F. If it’s too warm, bacteria can grow, increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses like salmonella, E. coli, and listeria. Keeping bacteria low also helps prevent bad smells.
For the freezer, it’s best to defrost and clean it every six months. This helps you get rid of old or freezer-burned food, which can also cause bad smells.
Add an Opened Box of Baking Soda
Between cleanings, keep an open box of baking soda in the fridge to absorb mild food odors. This helps reduce smells, but the best way to prevent odors is to remove spoiled food.